Finally done for today, thank God. I checked my wristwatch. 5p.m. When will I get home now? I
picked up my bag and left the class. Extra-mural lessons can be time-consuming. Thank God I’d
asked my siblings to go home. I stopped to buy roasted groundnuts. At least, it would sustain me
till I got home.
“Temi, are you not coming?”, one of my friends asked.
“No. I want to pass shortcut. I will see you guys tomorrow”, I replied, and they left. I usually
passed an estate whenever I wanted to go through the ‘shortcut’. But it was mainly because I
was fascinated by the quiet environment. You never saw the houses, only huge walls. What kind
of people live behind these walls? Do they even have neighbours?, I wondered. Whenever any
gate was opened, I’d run there just to see the house. This particular day, it was rather too quiet.
No one was walking but me. To the far right, a mad man was lying beside a house. Why would
they allow this mad man inside this beautiful place? Anyway, I minded my business and kept
munching my groundnuts, thinking of the food already waiting for me at home.
“Come on, baby! Give it to me. Come here, I love you.” What kind of love is that? I turned to see
the people that were ‘playing love’. It was the mad man, already up, and walking towards me. “I
love you, baby. Give it to me.” Give what to you? I checked my sandals, in good shape. I started
running and he ran behind me, asking me to wait for him. “Baby, don’t go. Wait for me”, he continued. I kept running. Father, save me. Don’t let me fall (I ALWAYS fall whenever I ran). Why was nobody opening their gate today? Maybe I should shout.
“E gba mi ooo”, I screamed. I could feel him very close. Oh God! Was this the ‘blessings’ pastor
said would pursue us? I remembered praying fervently that day. I didn’t ask for a mad man to
pursue me, God. Help me! Wait, why is no one coming? Are they deaf? I ran on. If Usain Bolt had joined that race that day, I’d have gotten to the finish line before he even started.
“E saanu mi oo!(Have mercy on me ooo!) Mad man is pursuing me.” I saw a shop ahead and I
ran with the last strenght in me. “Baby, wait for me” the mad man shouted. I ran into the shop,
just when he would have caught me, gasping for air. The owner of the shop pursued the mad
man. I didn’t like the man because he always made
advances to me. But for that day, he was my saviour and I liked him instantly. I gulped down
three sachet water at once before narrating my ordeal. Thank God my siblings had gone home. I
for nor wait ooo.
Save thy head, oh son of man. I never passed that place again. Why pass a shortcut and die
when you can pass the normal route and live?, I told myself. And now, I’m being careful before
praying some prayers raised in church. Who knows what would pursue me next when I pray?
By MELODY
